Automotive Milling Machine, As Well As Method For Unloading Milled Material

ABSTRACT

In an automotive milling machine, with a height-adjustable machine frame, with a controller for the travelling and milling operation, with a working drum, with a slewable transport conveyor device arranged in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel of the milling machine, where the last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport is slewable sideways, relative to the machine frame, about an essentially vertical axis under a slewing angle, and about an axis orthogonal to the axis under an elevation angle, and where the transport conveyor discharges the milled material at a specified conveying speed onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller comprises a detection and control system which continuously locates the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle and of the transport conveyor relative to the machine frame, or the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle relative to the transport conveyor, and continuously controls positioning of the point of impingement of the milled material automatically via the slewing angle and/or the elevation angle and/or the conveying speed of the transport conveyor in such a way that the discharged milled material impinges within the loading surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an automotive milling machine as well as to amethod for unloading milled material.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With an automotive milling machine, it is known to discharge the milledmaterial onto no less than one transport vehicle with a loading surface.

The milling machine comprises a controller for the travelling andmilling operation as well as a working drum for the milling of, forexample, a road pavement. A transport conveyor device, for example, atransport conveyor device comprising no less than one transport conveyoris located in front of or behind the working drum as seen in thedirection of travel. The transport conveyor device comprises a dischargeend at which the milled material is discharged onto the loading surfaceof the no less than one transport vehicle via a flight path in the formof a parabolic trajectory that is attributable to the conveying speed.The last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor deviceas seen in the direction of transport may be slewed sideways, relativeto the longitudinal axis of the milling machine, about a specifiableslewing angle to the left or right and may be adjustable in height via aspecifiable elevation angle.

In practical operation, problems arise in coordinating the millingmachine with the transport vehicle.

With a forward-loading milling machine, for example, the milled materialis discharged towards the front onto the transport vehicle drivingahead. The operator of the milling machine needs to signal to thevehicle driver of the transport vehicle as to when the transport vehicleis to continue moving forward. This leads to problems because theoperator basically needs to concentrate on the milling process and atthe same time needs to avoid a collision with the transport vehicledriving ahead. The information is usually communicated by means ofsounding a horn so that, as soon as the vehicle driver of the transportvehicle hears the horn sounding, the transport vehicle is moved forwardby a certain distance. A problem arises in the situation where thevehicle driver of the transport vehicle fails to hear the horn alert orif another vehicle driving past emits a horn alert so that the vehicledriver of the transport vehicle erroneously believes to be required tomove his vehicle forward. If the vehicle driver fails to hear the hornalert, this may cause a collision of the slewable transport conveyor ofthe transport conveyor device with the transport vehicle, or theoperator of the milling machine needs to stop the continuous millingprocess.

An additional problem lies in the fact that the operator of the millingmachine also needs to deal with loading the loading surface by adjustingthe slewing angle, elevation angle and conveying speed of the last orsingle transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen inthe direction of transport and is thus distracted from his actual taskof carrying out the milling operation. A correction of the slewing anglemay be required, for example, when altering the steering direction ofthe milling machine.

In case of a rearward-loading milling machine, problems also arise incoordinating the milling machine with the transport vehicle especiallyas the transport vehicle needs to drive behind the milling machine inreverse travel. An even higher level of stress results for the operatorof the milling machine as he needs to control the milling operation inforward travel on the one hand, and needs to monitor loading of thetransport vehicle behind the milling machine as seen in the direction oftravel, needs to control the slewing angle, elevation angle and/orconveying speed of the transport conveyor device, and needs tocommunicate the necessary information to the vehicle driver on theother.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to create anautomotive milling machine as well as a method for unloading milledmaterial of a milling machine which enables automatic coordination ofthe unloading procedure of the milling machine being in the process ofmilling with the movement of the transport vehicle.

The invention advantageously provides that the controller comprises adetection and control system which continuously locates the alterableposition of the loading surface of the transport vehicle and of the lastor single slewable transport conveyor of the transport conveyor deviceas seen in the direction of transport relative to the machine frame, orthe alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehiclerelative to the slewable transport conveyor, and which continuouslycontrols positioning of the point of impingement of the milled materialautomatically via the slewing angle and/or the elevation angle and/orthe conveying speed of the slewable transport conveyor in such a waythat the discharged milled material impinges within the loading surface.

Such controller enables the operator of the milling machine toconcentrate on the milling operation and on travelling along a specifiedmilling track. An automatic unloading procedure is thus realized whichensures automatic coordination of the unloading procedure with themovement of the milling machine and of the transport vehicle even whencornering. For example, the slewing angle of the last or singletransport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in thedirection of transport may also be controllable in accordance with thesteering angle of the automotive milling machine.

It is preferably intended for the detection and control system tocontinuously control positioning of the point of impingement of themilled material automatically in such a way that the discharged milledmaterial impinges in the centre of the loading surface or at anotherspecifiable point of impingement within the loading surface.

The loading surface may be located, and the position of the transportconveyor and the conveying speed of the slewable transport conveyor maybe regulated in such a way that the point of impingement on the loadingsurface is always maintained at the position specified by the controllerindependent of the movements of the milling machine and the transportvehicle.

The detection and control system may comprise no less than one detectorwhich continuously detects the position of the loading surface and/or ofthe slewable transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device, and/ormay comprise additional detectors which detect the slewing angle, theelevation angle and/or the conveying speed of the transport conveyor.

A preferred embodiment provides for the detection and control system tocontinuously locate the position of the loading surface and/or of thelast or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device asseen in the direction of transport by means of a first image-recordingsystem or a non-optical electronic positioning system, in particular aradio-frequency identification system (RFID), which supplies data fordetermining the position of the loading surface in relation to themachine frame or to the slewable transport conveyor.

The detection and control system may compare the data for determiningthe position with specified target position data in order to, in theevent of any deviations from the specified target position data, performa continuous position control for the position of a discharge end and/orof the point of impingement of the milled material and/or a speedcontrol for the conveying speed in accordance with a specified point ofimpingement.

The detection and control system may comprise a second image-recordingsystem which detects and analyses the filling condition on the loadingsurface by evaluating the image data and which continuously controls theconveying speed and/or the position of a discharge end and/or of thepoint of impingement of the milled material relative to the loadingsurface in order to load the loading surface uniformly and/or inaccordance with a specified loading programme. A second image-recordingsystem may be omitted if an image-recording system is already used tolocate the position of the loading surface, the image data of which canalso be used for detection of the filling condition.

The detection and control system may locate the position of the loadingsurface as well as regulate the position of the last or single transportconveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction oftransport or the position of the point of impingement and the conveyingspeed in such a way that the point of impingement on the loading surfaceis always maintained at the position within the loading surfacespecified by the controller independent of the movements of the millingmachine and of the transport vehicle.

The first and/or second image-recording system or a detector for theradio-frequency identification system (RFID) may be arranged at thedischarge end of the single or last transport conveyor as seen in theconveying direction of the milled material.

Arranging such positioning system at the discharge end of the transportconveyor enables the position of the transport vehicle relative to thelast or single transport conveyor of the milling machine as seen in thedirection of transport to be detected without it being necessary toadditionally determine the position of the milling machine.

Furthermore, the image data may be analysed to determine how and to whatextent the loading surface has been filled. Controlling the conveyingspeed and/or the position of the discharge end of the transport conveyoror of the point of impingement of the milled material respectivelyrelative to the loading surface enables uniform loading of the loadingsurface. The filling condition on the loading surface may be detectedand analysed by an image-recording system, and the conveying speedand/or the position of the discharge end of the transport conveyorrelative to the loading surface may be continuously controlled in orderto load the loading surface uniformly and/or in accordance with aspecified loading programme.

It may also be of advantage, however, to vary the point of impingementon the loading surface in order to achieve uniform loading of theloading surface.

It is intended for the detection and control system to control theposition of the discharge end of the transport conveyor device and thusthe point of impingement on the loading surface by adjusting the lateralslewing angle of the slewable transport conveyor of the transportconveyor device relative to the direction of travel and by adjusting theelevation angle of the slewable transport conveyor of the transportconveyor device.

The detection and control system may emit a signal prior to or latest inthe event of any deviation not rectifiable by means of control of theposition of the loading surface relative to the position of the last orsingle transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen inthe direction of transport and/or relative to the machine frame. Thesignal may be used to cause a machine stoppage or take measures toprevent collisions between the vehicles.

In accordance with the loading surfaces of different transport vehiclesand/or in accordance with different loading conditions of the loadingsurface for different positions and/or points of impingement within theposition of a loading surface detected by the detection and controlsystem, control data for the slewing angle, elevation angle and/orconveying speed may be stored in a map that is available to thedetection and control system. An RFID system enables identification of,for example, loading surfaces of different transport vehicles.

No less than one point of the usually essentially rectangular loadingsurface or essentially cuboid-shaped loading volume respectively, maycarry a marking detectable by the detection and control system.

A movement control signal, for example, a visual or an audible signalmay be generated in accordance with the positioning signals. Movementcontrol signals for the transport vehicle have been described inprinciple in DE 10 2009 041 842 A1.

In accordance with the method according to the present invention, it isintended that the alterable position of the loading surface of thetransport vehicle and of the last or single transport conveyor of thetransport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport relativeto the machine frame, or the alterable position of the loading surfaceof the transport vehicle relative to the last or single transportconveyor as seen in the direction of transport is continuously locatedby a detection and control system, and that positioning of the point ofimpingement of the milled material is continuously controlledautomatically by the detection and control system via the slewing angleand/or the elevation angle and/or the conveying speed of the transportconveyor device in such a way that the milled material is dischargedwithin the loading surface.

Positioning of the point of impingement of the milled material may becontinuously controlled automatically by the detection and controlsystem in such a way that the milled material is discharged in thecentre of the loading surface or at another specifiable point ofimpingement within the loading surface.

The position of the loading surface and/or of the last or singletransport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in thedirection of transport may be continuously located by means of animage-recording system or a non-optical electronic positioning system,in particular a radio-frequency identification system (RFID), whichsupplies data for determining the position of the loading surface inrelation to the machine frame or to the last or single transportconveyor as seen in the direction of travel.

In one embodiment, an image for determining the position of the loadingsurface in relation to the discharge end of the transport conveyorand/or for determining the filling condition of the loading surface maybe recorded and analysed by an image-recording system using a specifiedsampling frequency. The analysed data are compared with target positiondata, and the position of the discharge end of the transport conveyorand/or the conveying speed and/or the position of the transport vehiclemay be controlled in the event of any deviations being determined.

The target position data may be determined by means of a teach-inprocedure.

The position of the geometrical centre of the loading surface may bedetermined by means of image analysis or by means of the non-opticalpositioning system, and the position of the current point of impingementon the loading surface may be determined by means of image analysis, anda positioning control of the position of the discharge end and/or of thepoint of impingement of the milled material, as well as a speed controlof the conveying speed of the transport conveyor may be performed inaccordance with the desired position of the point of impingement so thata continuous regulation of the position of the current point ofimpingement is performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in moredetail with reference to the drawings.

The following is shown:

FIG. 1 a forward-loading road milling machine,

FIG. 2 a rearward-loading road milling machine, and

FIG. 3 a top view of a milling machine in accordance with FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a milling machine using as an example a forward-loadingroad milling machine 1 a. The road construction machine 1 comprises amachine frame 2 which is supported by a chassis 4 comprising, forexample, tracked travelling drive units or wheels, said chassis 4 beingconnected to the machine frame 2 via no less than three heightadjustment devices in the form of lifting columns 5. As can be inferredfrom FIG. 2, four lifting columns 5 are intended for the embodimentwhich can be used to bring the machine frame 2 into a specifiable planeextending preferably parallel to the road surface 6 which supports thetracked travelling drive units of the chassis 4.

The road milling machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises, in longitudinaldirection of the milling machine 1 a, a working drum 22 between thetracked travelling drive units of the chassis 4.

The milling machines 1 a,1 b may comprise tracked travelling drive unitsand/or wheels. The working drum may be adjustable in height via thelifting columns 5 supporting the machine frame 2 or relative to themachine frame 2.

Other designs of a milling machine 1 b may also exhibit the working drum22, for example, at the height of the rear tracked travelling driveunits or wheels of the chassis 4.

The transport conveyor device with no less than one transport conveyor11,12 for transporting away the milled material may also be arranged atthe front end 7 or at the rear end 8 of the milling machine 1 a,1 b.

FIG. 2 depicts a rearward-loading milling machine 1 b as an example inwhich the transport vehicle 10 drives behind the milling machine inreverse travel mode.

Provided that sufficient space is available on the side next to themilling machine 1 a,1 b, the transport vehicle 10 may also be moved nextto the milling machine 1 in forward travel as shown in FIG. 3.

The directions of travel of the respective vehicles in FIGS. 1 to 3 areindicated by arrows.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the milled material milled off by theworking drum 22 is discharged onto the loading surface 15 of thetransport vehicle 10 via a first permanently installed transportconveyor 11 of the transport conveyor device which transfers the milledmaterial 14 onto a second slewable transport conveyor 12. As a result ofthe speed of the transport conveyor 12, the milled material 14 is notdischarged immediately at the end of the transport conveyor 12, but themilled material follows a parabolic trajectory so that the point ofimpingement 16 on the loading surface 15 is located at a distance fromthe free end 13 of the transport conveyor 12. The transport conveyor 12may be slewed from a neutral position to the left or to the right viapiston-cylinder units 18 in order to be able to discharge the milledmaterial 14 onto the loading surface 15 even when cornering or in theevent of the transport vehicle 10 driving in an offset track. Inaddition, the vehicle driver of the milling machine 1 a,1 b can adjustthe elevation angle of the transport conveyor 12 by means of apiston-cylinder unit 20. The elevation angle has an influence on theparabolic trajectory of the milled material 14 and on the position ofthe point of impingement 16, as has the conveying speed of the transportconveyor 12.

The currently set elevation angle about a horizontal first axis 21 orslewing angle about a vertical second axis 23 respectively is reportedto a detection and control system 24 additionally comprising no lessthan one detector 26 which continuously detects the position of theloading surface 15 and/or of the last or single transport conveyor 12 asseen in the direction of transport. Said detector 26 may be arrangedeither at the milling machine 1 a,1 b, at the end facing the transportconveyor device, or at the free end 13 of the transport conveyor 12.

The detection and control system 24 may be integrated into thecontroller 3 for the travelling and milling operation or may, as aminimum, be connected to the same in order to, should the need arise,also obtain data on the travel speed and/or a detected steering angle ofthe milling machine 1 a,1 b and the conveying speed of the transportconveyor 12.

The detection and control system 24 locates the alterable position ofthe loading surface 15 of the transport vehicle 10 and of the last orsingle transport conveyor 12 as seen in the direction of transportrelative to the machine frame 2, and continuously and automaticallycontrols positioning of the point of impingement 16 of the milledmaterial 14 via the slewing angle and/or the elevation angle and/or theconveying speed of the transport conveyor device so that the dischargedmilled material 14 impinges, as a minimum, within the loading surface15. Alternatively, the alterable position of the loading surface 15 ofthe transport vehicle 10 may also be continuously located relative tothe last or single transport conveyor 12 as seen in the direction oftransport in order to perform the control operation.

The detection and control system 24 may also undertake the task offilling the loading surface 15 in a uniform fashion. A loading programmemay be intended for this purpose in order to load the loading surface 15in accordance with a predetermined system. In this arrangement, thefilling condition on the loading surface 15 may be detected and analysedby an image-recording system in order to continuously control theconveying speed and/or the position of the discharge end 13 of the lastor single transport conveyor 12 as seen in the direction of transportrelative to the loading surface 15.

Control data for different positions and/or points of impingement 16 maybe stored in a map in accordance with the loading surfaces 15 ofdifferent transport vehicles 10 and/or in accordance with differentloading conditions of the loading surface 15. Such map memory may beintegrated in the detection and control system 24 or in the controller3. The control data concern the slewing angle, the elevation angleand/or the conveying speed of the transport conveyor 12 for differentpositions and/or points of impingement 16 within the position of aloading surface 15 detected by the detection and control system 24.

The detection and control system 24 continuously detects the position ofthe loading surface 15 and/or of the last or single transport conveyor12 as seen in the direction of transport by means of an image-recordingsystem 28 or a non-optical electronic positioning system which suppliesdata for determining the position of the loading surface 15 in relationto the machine frame 2 or to the last or single transport conveyor 12 asseen in the direction of transport. The information provided by theimage-recording system 28 may be evaluated by image-analysing methodsknown for themselves. One example of a non-optical electronicpositioning system is a radio-frequency identification system (RFID)which additionally offers the possibility of identifying a particularloading surface 15 of a particular transport vehicle 10.

When localizing the loading surface 15 by means of RFID, permanentlyinstalled RFID tags are used at the transport vehicle 10 in particularat the loading surface 15.

When localizing with Bluetooth sensor nodes as an additional non-opticallocalization method, sensor nodes distributed in space are used asmarkings and the signal field strength, which is dependent on thedistance, is measured.

It goes without saying that it is also possible to use a combination ofdifferent localization methods.

As a general rule, it is possible to use optical and quasi-optical(radio) measurement methods for length and angle, as well as differenttime measurement processes for time differences and propagation timedifferences.

The detection and control system 24 may compare the data for determiningthe position with specified position data in order to, in the event ofany deviations from the specified target position data, perform acontinuous position control for the position of the discharge end 13and/or for the point of impingement 16 of the milled material 14 and/ora speed control for the conveying speed.

The target position data may be determined by means of a teach-inprocedure in that the positions of the vehicles 1 a,1 b,10 are varied inaccordance with realistic situations and the parameters required foreach such situation, namely the slewing angle, elevation angle andconveying speed of the transport conveyor, are stored. In the same way,a loading programme may also be created. In doing so, variations incontrol arising, for example, during cornering may also be taken intoaccount. In the process, the data read in by means of the readingoperation may also differentiate as to whether the transport vehicle 10is driving on the left or on the right next to the milling track or inthe milling track of the milling machine 1 a,1 b.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. An automotive milling machine, comprising: amachine frame; a working drum connected to the machine frame andconfigured to mill material from a ground surface; a transport conveyorarranged in front of or behind the working drum, the transport conveyorbeing pivotable relative to the machine frame about an essentiallyhorizontal first axis to define an elevation angle, and the transportconveyor being slewable sideways relative to the machine frame about asecond axis orthogonal to the first axis to define a slewing angle, thetransport conveyor having a conveying speed, wherein the transportconveyor discharges milled material onto a point of impingement on aloading surface of a transport vehicle; memory storing control data forone or more of different positions and points of impingement inaccordance with loading surfaces of different transport vehicles; atleast one detector configured to supply data corresponding to a positionof the loading surface relative to the transport conveyor; and acontroller connected to receive the data from the at least one detectorand configured to: compare the received data with associated controldata stored on the memory; and in the event of any deviations from theassociated control data, continuously control positioning of the pointof impingement of the milled material automatically via at least theconveying speed of the transport conveyor such that the dischargedmilled material impinges on a predetermined point of impingement on theparticular loading surface, independent of movements of the millingmachine and the transport vehicle.
 17. The machine of claim 16, whereinthe at least one detector includes an image-recording system or aradio-frequency identification system configured to continuously locatethe position of at least one of the loading surface and the transportconveyor and to supply data for determining the position of the loadingsurface in relation to the transport conveyor.
 18. The machine of claim17, wherein the image-recording system or the radio-frequencyidentification system is arranged at a discharge end of the transportconveyor.
 19. The machine of claim 16, wherein the controller isconfigured to emit a signal prior to or at latest in the event of anydeviation not rectifiable by control of the position of the loadingsurface relative to the position of the transport conveyor, as seen inthe direction of transport and relative to the machine frame.
 20. Themachine of claim 16, wherein the at least one detector is configured todetect a marking on the transport vehicle marking at least one point ofan essentially rectangular loading surface or an essentiallycuboid-shaped loading volume of the transport vehicle.
 21. An automotivemilling machine, comprising: a machine frame; a working drum connectedto the machine frame and configured to mill material from a groundsurface; a transport conveyor arranged in front of or behind the workingdrum, the transport conveyor being pivotable relative to the machineframe about an essentially horizontal first axis to define an elevationangle, and the transport conveyor being slewable sideways relative tothe machine frame about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis todefine a slewing angle, the transport conveyor having a conveying speed,wherein the transport conveyor discharges milled material onto a pointof impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle; memorystoring control data for one or more of different positions and pointsof impingement in accordance with different loading conditions ofloading surfaces for respective transport vehicles; at least onedetector configured to supply data corresponding to a position of theloading surface relative to the transport conveyor; and a controllerconnected to receive the data from the at least one detector andconfigured to: compare the received data with associated control data;and in the event of any deviations from the associated control data,continuously control positioning of the point of impingement of themilled material automatically via at least the conveying speed of thetransport conveyor such that the discharged milled material impinges ona predetermined point of impingement on the loading surface, independentof movements of the milling machine and the transport vehicle.
 22. Themachine of claim 21, wherein the at least one detector includes animage-recording system or a radio-frequency identification systemconfigured to continuously locate the position of at least one of theloading surface and the transport conveyor and to supply data fordetermining the position of the loading surface in relation to thetransport conveyor.
 23. The machine of claim 22, wherein theimage-recording system or the radio-frequency identification system isarranged at a discharge end of the transport conveyor.
 24. The machineof claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to emit a signal priorto or at latest in the event of any deviation not rectifiable by controlof the position of the loading surface relative to the position of thetransport conveyor, as seen in the direction of transport and relativeto the machine frame.
 25. The machine of claim 21, wherein the at leastone detector is configured to detect a marking on the transport vehiclemarking at least one point of an essentially rectangular loading surfaceor an essentially cuboid-shaped loading volume of the transport vehicle.26. A method of discharging removed milled material from an automotivemilling machine onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of atransport vehicle, the method comprising: (a) removing the milledmaterial from a ground surface with a working drum of the millingmachine; (b) discharging the milled material via a flight path in theform of a parabolic trajectory from a transport conveyor arranged infront of or behind the working drum relative to a direction of travel ofthe milling machine, the transport conveyor being slewable sideways in aslewing angle and adjustable in discharge height in an elevation angle;(c) detecting an alterable position of the loading surface of thetransport vehicle relative to the transport conveyor; and (d)automatically controlling the parabolic trajectory of the flight path ofthe milled material based at least in part on the detected alterableposition of the loading surface, such that the milled material isdischarged onto a specified point of impingement within the loadingsurface, independent of movements of the milling machine and thetransport vehicle.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the detecting ofstep (c) is performed by an image-recording system or a radio-frequencyidentification system, to supply data for determining the position ofthe loading surface in relation to the transport conveyor.
 28. Themethod of claim 26, further comprising: comparing the data fordetermining the position with stored target position data to identifyany deviation; and in the event a deviation is determined, automaticallycontrolling the parabolic trajectory of the flight path of the milledmaterial to correct the deviation.
 29. The method of claim 28, whereinthe target position data are determined by a teach-in procedure, whereinrelative positions of the transport vehicle and the milling machine arevaried in accordance with one or more realistic situations and one ormore parameters required for each such situation are stored.
 30. Themethod of claim 29, wherein the target position data furtherdifferentiates as to whether one or more of the transport vehicle andthe milling machine are cornering.
 31. The method of claim 29, whereinthe target position data further differentiates as to whether thetransport vehicle is driving on a left side of a milling track, on aright side of the milling track, or in the milling track of the millingmachine.
 32. The method of claim 26, further comprising: detecting afilling condition of the loading surface via an image-recording system;and wherein step (d) further comprises loading the loading surfaceuniformly.
 33. The method of claim 26, wherein: step (d) furthercomprises maintaining the point of impingement at a specified positionindependent of movements of the milling machine and the transportvehicle.
 34. The method of claim 26, further comprising: determining aposition of a geometrical center of the loading surface via imageanalysis or via a non-optical positioning system; determining a positionof a current point of impingement on the loading surface by imageanalysis; and wherein in step (d) the position of the point ofimpingement is regulated in accordance with a desired position of thepoint of impingement.
 35. The method of claim 26, comprising emitting asignal prior to or at latest in the event of any deviation notrectifiable by control of the position of the loading surface relativeto the position of the transport conveyor, as seen in the direction oftransport and relative to the machine frame.